Homecoming

After three years on the east of the globe, it was time to come home.

The plane had landed in Las Vegas at around 11pm, and, after a brief twenty minutes of getting checked and acquiring her luggage, she swiftly made her way to the assigned meeting place.

It was a nondescript silver SUV, with keys under the trunk floormat. A bit disappointing that none of her friends could be there to pick her up, but she could definitely understand. They didn't know she was coming a whole day early after all.

Overall, the trip went by faster than she'd expected, the barren desert fading into itself as she traversed the dusty Nevada backroads. Death City wasn't too much further now.

There was something to be said about seeing the city at night. the ever-burning pyres of Shibusen were more prominent than any of the artificial light. The souls of the damned burned there, all the Kishin souls gathered were sent there upon the respective weapon's death. Or confiscation. She knew firsthand about that.

Now was not the time to reminisce about times long past. She had to report in to Kid. He had her keys after all, otherwise she'd have waited until a more respectable hour.

It had barely changed from what she could remember. Maka found herself smiling as she passed through the cobbled streets. So many memories she'd made here, and so many more to make.

Her mind drifted to her old partner, she had missed him greatly. A few 'How you doing?' texts here and there, often going unanswered for days, was no way to keep up with him or anybody else for that matter. Oh, she'd visited Blackstar and Tsubaki briefly in Japan early on in her training, but after that? Nothing aside from mission reports to Kid.

But Soul... She'd missed him especially. It was like she had been missing something the whole time. She was incomplete, a hollowness deep within her that could never be satisfied. She had tried letting go, but it only made the void worse. The black blood had long gone silent during her exodus, that last connection to Soul gone. The blood they shared melding into a dark crimson hue.

It was through deep self-reflection that she'd realized why- their soul connection had grown weaker with the distance. And that she had loved him deeply. Hence the omnipresence of the void.

The meeting with Kid had been uneventful, a brief greeting and promise of a proper welcome back in the morning later, she'd been handed a key and address by a sleep-deprived reaper.

The address was close enough. She'd specifically requested to stay with Soul, just like the old times. She knew that Chrona had moved in with him, due mostly to technicalities, but still, it was nice of Soul to take in the other boy. And also Soul had a way bigger place. Three rooms and all.

Unlocking the door, Maka quietly let herself in. She took in her surroundings as best she could in the dark, the place seemed nice enough. Clean at least, but the decor screamed 'bachelor pad.' She'd have to give this place a woman's touch.

The bedrooms should be towards the back, if she had gotten the general layout right. Pausing briefly, taking in the faint sounds of whatever emo band Soul was into this week, Maka quickly ruled out the room closest to the kitchen, must be Soul's room.

She'd never known that Soul even liked to read, but judging by those heresy books in what she assumed to be his office, he apparently did. Which meant that the door at the very end of the hall was either Chrona's or the guest room.

Luckily, Maka did not have to run the risk of waking Chrona, noting the 'guest' label scribbled on the small chalkboard attached. Along with a finger-painted on giraffe. Which meant that Patty had at least been over once.

With this, Maka settled in for the night, wanting to beat the jet-lag and all.

PRETTY SHORT, MAKA CENTRIC. THIS IS MORE OF A TRANSITORY CHAPTER. AND YES, THAT IS A SAN ANDREAS REFERENCE.

ENJOY THE BITCHY FUNTIMES AHEAD.

(I KNOW I'VE ESTABLISHED CHRONA AS A GIRL IN THIS, BUT MAKA DOESN'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF CHRONA'S GENERAL ANDROGONY).

REVIEW, IT KEEPS ME GOING AND I READ THEM ALL AND APPLY ANY ADVICE.